Category: Winter 2013

So here we finally are – the last episode of Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou (ビブリア古書堂の事件手帖 – Biblia Rare Books Case Files). The last episode presented us with a case involving the works of Edogawa Rampo and a mysterious safe with the barest hint of how to unlock it. In her attempt to help the Kishiro sisters to decipher the code for the safe, Shinokawa (Gouriki Ayame) is pitted against her own mother (Yasuda Narumi), who has represents a party with a competing claim for the contents of the safe.

Shinokawa suspects that her mother is a step ahead, since the key to the safe – the first of three elements required to unlock it – was missing from its presumed hiding place.

In confronting her mother who has been missing for years, Shinokawa is clearly flustered. After we find out what they think is in the safe . . .

This is the second-to-last episode of Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou (ビブリア古書堂の事件手帖 – Biblia Rare Books Case Files) and it begins with a man writing a letter in which he describes a code which contains the secret to a hidden gift. He dies shortly after mailing the letter, but manages to write 1915 in the snow with the last of his energy.

Shinokawa (Gouriki Ayame) and Daisuke (AKIRA) make one of their house calls to Kishiro Keiko and her sister, Kuniyo.

Kuniyo called them concerning the very substantial collection of Edogawa Rampo works her sister has collected. Edogawa was a legendary and provocative mystery writer, so Shinokawa’s eyes naturally go wide at this treasure trove.

This episode of Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou (ビブリア古書堂の事件手帖 – Biblia Rare Books Case Files) is about the books we read as kids that, if we were to read again, would bring long-unaccessed memories to mind.

While Shinokawa (Gouriki Ayame) and Daisuke (AKIRA) are out visiting a shop that sells photobooks and has a gallery . . .

. . . Jesse-kun gets his most substantial scene of the series so far, as it seems like there’s something between his character Fumiya and Kosuga Nao (played by Mizuno Erina). It’s still a throw-away scene, though, unless they actually plan to do something with this relationship in a later episode (which I doubt).

At the gallery-shop, Daisuke bumps into someone he didn’t expect to see – former girlfriend Akiho.

Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou (ビブリア古書堂の事件手帖 – Biblia Rare Books Case Files) begins with a question that has probably struck viewers already – is Goura Daisuke (AKIRA) really suited to working at a bookstore when he doesn’t even read books? How can he help customers at all, beyond just looking up inventory and fetching books they ask for?

For his part, he’s just glad to have a study job, and looks forward to learning as he works.

Shida (Takahashi Katsumi) suggests that Daisuke and Shinokawa (Gouriki Ayame) might eventually become a couple. Daisuke is quick to deny it, but not nearly quick enough.

When he gets back to the store, he sees a guy proposing to Shinokawa . . .

This is the final episode of Shinryochu (心療中 – in treatment), which is certainly the most intense drama I’ve reviewed on this site so far. It has featured some phenomenal acting from young actors and actresses playing students who consult with counselor Tenma Ryo (Inagaki Goro), and solid performances from the adults as well. The question in this episode is to what extent the plots will be resolved, and the likely answer given what we’ve seen so far is – not as far as the viewer would like, but perhaps as far as is realistic. After all, with so many characters facing such a range of psychological issues, is it reasonable to believe that a single counselor could somehow magic their pains away?

When we first see Ryo, he’s made a deal with his son to ensure the kid goes to class, then enters to talk with his wife Kanae (Sakai Miki). The breakdown of their marriage is only the first of the plots that this episode has to deal with. Are they going to be able to keep it together?

Well, if you’ve been following along, you know the prospects are definitely not good. Kanae has been trying to break away from Ryo from the very beginning of the series.

As if Ryo doesn’t have problems of his own, he has to be worried about student Tanaka Shun (Takada Sho), who blames himself for his friend Toma’s suicide. In this fragile state, he wants to try hypnotherapy to explore his past, but Ryo doesn’t think dredging up all those painful memories is a good idea when Shun already has grief to digest.